Child Models: Abuse Made Easy

I don't know how this popped up in my Facebook feed, since – ya know – I'm not a pedophile or anything. But then, it clicked in my mind that you don't have to be a pedophile to see such things. Because they're not considered wrong; they are, in fact admired, considered good.
Get this, please, pictures of barely clad children are now admired by society. Whaaat?!Image

As I was saying, an article link popped up, about the story of identical twins who have recently become models. And despite the fact the cover photo was of two little girls, I kept scrolling through the article, waiting to find pictures of them as adults.Surely, they mean they were born beautiful, and they were beautiful children growing up, and have now become models, as adults.
But no, it wasn't the case. The girls, Leah Rose and Ava Marie Clements, have become models now, as children. They are seven years old. Seven year old models. I keep saying it, in the hopes someone will realize how absurd it is.Image

What I thought was most disturbing about the article was that it did not raise the obvious question – the girls' safety. Or the morals involved in sexualizing seven year old children. In fact, the article commended the mother of these girls for signing them up as models. The author marveled at what adorable little girls they were and how many followers they have on Instagram (139 000, if you were wondering). The article ended with the author saying they hope to see more of these girls very soon.
Well, I'm sure you're not the only one...

Their VERY ambitious mother...I can't help but wonder if that woman actually thinks she did her children a favor by signing them up to be models at the tender age of seven. And could this ambition, I wonder, be more to do with her than her daughters? Because to me, this sounds like a mother living her modeling fantasies through her kids. From what I understand, the mother actually poses with the girls sometimes. Now, she looks alright, but I seriously doubt anyone would've given her the time of day if it was just her. But as the mother of the “most beautiful girls in the world”, I just bet she gets a lot of attention.Image

Now, you might be wondering why these things happen. I know I am. I mean, bad things like rape, abuse of all sorts, happen without any special circumstances, there's no changing that, but why put your self out there? Worse, why put your vulnerable children out there, why draw so much attention to the fact that your little girls are very beautiful, when there are so many sick people out there?
Their parents must know that. Everyone knows that.
So why do they do these things? What sort of completion, of achievement does modeling bring to a seven year old? Do these parents do it for the money, for the fucking followers, what?
I mean, my fists clench when I think someone's looking at my kid brother funny on the street. Surely, these people can't think it's okay to show their children's bodies on social media.

According to the article, Jaqi Clements originally signed her girls to a modeling agency when they were just six months old, but later gave up on the idea, since juggling three kids (she also has an older son, also into modeling, but “his following is much more modest at just over 2,000”) would be too much of a hassle.Image

To me, this seems a confirmation of my previous statement. They were babies. Beautiful (how does that go, anyway, I thought all babies are), but babies. Now, maybe I'm outdated, but I can't see how six month old children might enjoy modeling. I'd thing they have more important things to worry about, like feeding and sleep and discovering the world around them, for crying out loud. How can you want to take that from your babies by keeping them in front of a camera hours on end?
It beats me.

Jaqi says that the girls turning 7 on 7/17/17 seemed like a sign to begin their career. And that the girls were very excited when she shared her idea. Well, of course...I mean, they're seven. Kids love attention, what do you expect? I liked the attention of the adults around me too, when I was that age, doesn't mean my mom signed me up for a brilliant modeling career, though. It's not a child's job to say 'no, mom, because there are all sorts of sick pedophiles out there who might take a vicious interest and we'd rather enjoy our childhoods'. It's your job, as a parent. Now, how hard is that?Image - Am I the only one who thinks it's wrong for a seven year old to wear leather pants and animal print?

Of course, the Clements twins are not a unique case, not by far. I'm sure you've heard of many 'most beautiful girl in the world' in your time, so I won't name all of them. One that did catch my attention was a little girl, from Russia, mentioned in the Daily Mail article. Her name is Anna Pavaga, eight years old. She has 464,000 followers on Instagram (because that's a reason for joy, these days, apparently) and she had been modeling since she was three years old.
Again, don't three year olds have better things to do, like learning to speak properly and playing and daydreaming?Image

In the article, Anna's mother is quoted as saying:

Beauty is a lottery organized by nature. Parents do not choose, but can only dream. We were lucky: dreams became reality.

What?! Since when is that a dream? Personally, I dream of having kids, who'll be happy and complete human beings. Really? Are your standards that low that having your semi-naked child spread out across social media satisfies you?

Until recently, I was babysitting two boys, one is seven (the same age as the Clements twins) and one is three (the same age Anna was, when she began her “career”). They were very beautiful, too, really unique features. Did they model? No, they were too busy playing and discovering and building and listening to music...you know, kids' stuff.

The sickest thing, in this whole story, isn't the agency that represents them, or the brands that hire child models. It's the parents. Why would you show me, a potentially dangerous stranger, your child's midriff or their legs, right up to the underpants? I mean, I wouldn't show you my underpants and I am an adult. You know why? Because you could be dangerous!
It's not rocket science...Image -Taken off Anna's Instagram account. What the...

The sexualization of children has been discussed over and over. You don't need me to tell you that putting makeup on children and dressing them up as adults, and posing them in risky or “sexy” positions is not okay, by any standard. Or that it causes harm and can lead to rape, to horrific abuse and scar your child for life.

There isn't much you or I can do about these parents who abuse their children. The one thing we can do is not feed the beast. By NOT following such sick pictures, on Instagram, or wherever. By condemning it for what it is. Abusive. And only leading to scarring and possibly more abuse.
But there is something we can do, in our own lives. Don't buy into the madness. Don't teach your children that this is okay or that anyone wants to see their privates and that that's okay.
It's not okay.

Let your children be children. Do not buy them revealing clothes. Teach them about privacy, about dangerous strangers, about what is and isn't acceptable. Take a stand.

Its all about the $$ - until people stop buying brands that promote this kinda of sexual glorification nothing will really change...you will always be able to find delusional parents willing to sell out their kids emotional health and future for selfish gain.

What we need is parents with courage training up their kids and not letting them go with the cultural norms...things are not going to magically improve.

thanks for writing this. Parents that parent will have the greatest impact on the next generation

While I usually try to be polite but I have seen enough at walmart to coin the phrase, Prostitot. I just can't believe how people dress their children to sexulazie them. Very sad what the world has come to. I blame hollywood they are the root problem here. They turn out filth IMO. After years of observation I can without reservation, Culture follows art. Hollywood is controlling us not just givint the free market what it wants. Boycott movies and TV. Spend more time on steemit providing wholesome content. That is my advise.

As a side note the "spankies" volleyball players wear leave very little to the imagination, it would be fine with me if they covered themselves a little more. Spankies are not appropriate for junior high girls. IMO

Indeed, it's very weird to me that parents think it's okay...I mean I've always been against such clothes. even as a teenager, I stayed clear from shorts that only covered half of your butt cheek and stuff like that...As for children, why dress them up like adults? Because it's fun? Doesn't seem okay to me, not in the least.
You're right, I believe it has a lot to do with television and Hollywood. People like Miley Cyrus and her peers are not role-models, but I think they're victims, in a way, too. Victims of a system that won't feed them money or popularity if they're not vulgar and act like prostitutes. The problem is deeper, I think.

Totally agree about the spankies - never saw a reason for those...
Thank you for the resteem and upvote :)

Absolutely insane. When my kids were young, some of my daughters friends ran around in sweat pants that said "JUICY" across the butt. My husband and I could hardly believe what we were watching back then, and it has only gotten worse.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for posting this and spreading awareness of this. I’ve seen some unimaginable things on Facebook with children that were eventually flagged and taken off Facebook. It wasn’t terrible but clearly the parent was just trying to get followers/more money exploiting their children.

Do not get me started on children’s clothing for girls. My daughter is 8 years old and I need to bend over backwards to find shorts that aren’t super short and that ends up showing her parts of her ass. It’s frustrating!

Children are not allowed to be children any more. What the heck is wrong with parents who allow their children to be used in this fashion? Is for the money? The fame? Living vicariously through their children? This brings back the memory of JonBenét Ramsey a little 6 year old beauty queen who was murdered. It turns my stomach when I see kids of any age being sexualized! I see kids here learning "sexy" dances when they are 5 or 6 years old. Has the world gone mad?

I'm afraid it has, @cecicastor...We mustn't stand for it. Indeed, the death of JonBenet Ramsey was a horrible thing, the poor little girl....
It does turn one's stomach, I took a thirty minute break after writing the article and going through pictures of children models (none actually explicit, or anything) because it's disgusting to see what people can do to their children...I just don't get how you can care about that. I mean, when I'll have a kid, I think I'll focus on teaching them more important things (like how the government is evil and trying to do nasty things to ya!), not obsessing over their beauty.
Thank you for reading!

Thanks for posting this!
So many people think they are doing their kids a favor by starting them into this modelling nonsense! Ugh!!

I've had many people tell me I should sign my daughter up to model. NOOOOOO.
Even without the sexualization, this is not a healthy thing for little kids, and even BABIES to be doing! When you add in the sexualization of these kids, it is totally unacceptable.

I know...it seems unimaginable to me that they think they're doing a good thing for their children :O

Even without the sexualization, this is not a healthy thing for little kids

I wanted to touch on that, as well, but I got so upset over these photos and the mindlessness of it all, that I gave it up :/ It's not something children need in their lives. I mean they are stressed out and overbooked, as it is. There's no need for them to be exposed to this cruel, competitive, tiring world...

Exactly!
There are many real-life skills to be learning, real things to do!
Not filling their heads with this nonsense.
Learning that their worth is measured by how 'cute' or 'pretty' they are?!
(Or sexy?!)
Ugh.
I try not to judge people; everyone has their reasons for things, everyone has been through different situations, but some things just baffle me.
But you know, in this day and age,many 'normal' things people do baffle me....

Good on you @honeydew for highlighting this disturbing trend amongst those ambitious mothers living their dreams through their little girls! Not good at all pressurizing & flaunting them at such a young age! Will this ever stop?

No, these mothers (and parents, in general) need to be stopped. You know, I wonder...don't they realize how much harm they're causing their children or do they just not care?
Thank you for the upvote and resteem :) As always, appreciate it.

Only a shallow asshole “dreams” that their child will be beautiful enough to be a model. GOOD parents dream of healthy, well-rounded, kind, intelligent children. My daughter is 14 and has been asking me for years to help her try to be a model or a movie star... because a girl she knows has been taken to Hollywood every year since she was 7 to try and “make it big”. This type of behavior is HORRIBLE for children. Children don’t know what they want and they certainly don’t know what’s good for them! It’s up to a parent to make wise choices and BE A PARENT!!

I hope that the girl doesn't ever make it big...it would just screw her up. what empty people these parents must be to push their kids to "make it big", since when is that a life goal?
I mean, yeah, I guess all little girls dream of being singers or actresses or models, but it's a fad. It blows over...if you don't feed the beast, I guess.
Good on you :)